“ONE million pesos—many would think it could buy a lot of gadgets. But to the Happiest Pinoy, the amount will go a long way. It could buy a lot of wheelchairs and provide for many scholarships. I’ll make sure that this blessing will not end with me,” said 2015 Happiest Pinoy winner Prof. Richardson Navor who was born with cerebral palsy, during the awards night of the Cebuana Lhuillier’s search for the Happiest Pinoy at the Solaire Resort and Casino Ballroon on September 10, 2015.

Cerebral palsy is a disorder that affects muscle tone, movement, and motor skills that happens before or during a baby’s birth or during the first three to five years of a child’s life.

Kuya Chard to many, despite his disability, was able to rise above his challenges and emerged successful in all his endeavors. His condition never hindered his determination from getting a good education and to help other persons with disabilities (PWDs) like him.

Navor is a 2008 BS Accountancy graduate, Magna Cum Laude, of the UE College of Business Administration-Caloocan and was awarded various leadership awards and recognitions including Outstanding Jose Rizal Model Student of the Philippines and Ten Outstanding Students of the Philippines. He is now a financial analyst in IBM Philippines.

To be able to help PWDs and the youth, he formed an organization named People Uplifting the Student and the Handicapped (PUSH). According to Nabor, the cash prize that he received would go to his advocacies because he believes that blessings should not stop with him.

Nabor’s positive attitude is contagious especially during life’s challenges. When his mother was diagnosed with cervical cancer, he became a source of strength of his family. He did all measures to look for monetary assistance from different people and even saved some of his allowance from his scholarship to be able to augment her mother’s medical expenses. Eventually, her mother was diagnosed cancer-free.

Cebuana Lhuillier president and CEO Jean Henri Lhuillier said, “This is only the third edition of the search and it has already grown significantly, collecting more entries and, hopefully inspiring even more individuals. Richardson is a great addition to the search’s roster of model citizen. His story is one we can all learn and draw inspiration from to live happier and more meaningful lives no matter the challenges.”

Besides Navor, two other individuals were recognized as two more awards were added to this year’s search. Arnel Genzola, a professor based in China, was declared as the Happiest OFW, while Cyprian Jade Basa, a student from Roxas City, was hailed as the Happiest Student. Meanwhile, the grand winner’s nominator, Loriel Macalindol Castillo, Navor’s friend, was also recognized and was given a cash prize.

The rest of the top 10 finalists in this year’s search are Johnny Medrano, a watch and cellphone technician from Batangas; Rustie Quintana, an artist from Cagayan De Oro City; Rodolfo Mendoza, a PWD advocate from Nueva Ecija; Randy Halasan, a teacher from Davao City; Eduardo Hernal, Jr., a retired military officer turned pastor from Taguig City; Julia Marquez, a retired teacher from Batangas; Don De Vera, an architect from Las Piñas City; Cyprian Jade Basa, a student from Roxas City; and Naprey Almario, a non-government organization founder and businessman from Davao City.